Independence Day
by xhosa
Summary: The Eds come up with the ultimate scam on July 4th. Every seems to be going alright, but Edd has his attention fixated on something else.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Hey guys. This is my first story on this account. I haven't written on this site for a while, so bare with me. Please leave a review, and favorite/follow if you're liking it. I hope you guys enjoy!_

* * *

As with most days, Edd awoke to the sound of Ed screaming in his ear. It was almost routine by then, but Edd didn't really care. It was Ed's nature after all. This morning, Ed was riled up over the fact that it was July 4th, Independence Day.

"Double D! Wake up, it's the Fourth!" Ed shouted with excitement.

Edd rolled over in his bed and slowly got up, with a sigh. He sauntered over to his bedroom door, following Ed as they exited the room. Downstairs, he noticed Eddy sitting at his kitchen counter, fiddling with a post-it note. Upon closer inspection, Edd noticed it to be one of the many notes of instruction that his parents had left for him in the morning. Annoyed, Edd snatched the note that Eddy was defacing. He promptly crumpled it up and threw it out.

"Oh come on sockhead, you could've read it at least!" Eddy responded. Edd threw him an unamused look.

"Alright, I get the message. Now come on, we're losing daylight guys!" Eddy grabbed the other two and they set out for the junkyard.

* * *

The trio arrived at a small clearing in the middle of the junkyard. They sat in a circle, ready to hear Eddy's plan for the day.

"Okay, today's scam is a good one. How about we have a fireworks show tonight. We'll charge for entry, set off a few crappy fireworks, and go home with our pay. Great idea, right?" Eddy explained.

"Such a flawless plan! One issue, though. We don't have any fireworks" Edd replied, somewhat sarcastically.

"Oh, but we do" Eddy said with a grin. He brandished a small box of fireworks. Ed and Edd marveled at the box.

"How did you get these?" Ed asked, full of curiosity.

"Found them at the park, near a dumpster. They'll work fine" Eddy described.

Edd thought about Eddy's story for a moment. He then realized that the park had its own fireworks show. But why would the fireworks be placed near a dumpster? Edd grabbed the box and inspected it. He then noticed a faded label. He pulled his reading glasses out of his shirt pocket, and moved it closer to his face. The label was red and only had one word written on it: "defective." Edd looked back towards Eddy.

"Eddy, we can't use these. Who knows what could happen? For all I know, this box could explode in my hands right now!" Edd complained.

"AAAAH! We're all gonna die!" Ed shouted, flailing his arms.

"Relax sockhead, we'll be fine. No stupid label has ever stopped me before!" Eddy responded.

"If you say so, Eddy."

With that, the group began to set up the show.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Thank you to the people who have been reading, and Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoy the new chapter._

* * *

Contradicting his intention to help Eddy out with the scam, Edd ended up taking a walk around the junkyard. He had enough of Eddy's childish schemes. They were pointless efforts that got him nowhere. At that point in there lives, Edd thought it would be more appropriate if Eddy actually got a job. Would he ever grow up? Edd was unsure.

Edd wandered out of junkyard, into the desolate green field that separated it from the trailer park. As he neared the center of the area, deep in thought, he noticed faint noises emitting from the trailer park. This seemed strange, considering how still everything had been up to that point. He heard the sound of a door opening and closing, footsteps, and then nothing. Absolute silence. He stopped as he noticed a person walk out of the clutter of trailers. It was Marie Kanker.

"Double D!" Marie waved as he walked towards her.

Edd backed up a little. He had flashbacks of their childhood, when her sisters and her would harass him and his friends. Over course, considering they were in high school, it was different, but Edd tried not to let his guard down regardless. Edd decided to take a seat next to her. It was a better option compared to participating in Eddy's shenanigans.

"Hey, long time no see. How's it been?" Marie said. Edd responded with a slight nod.

"You're not going to-" Edd started.

"Nah man, I've changed. I just don't feel like it anymore" Marie responded. Edd decided that this was understandable.

The two sat there for a while. Edd just took in the scenery. Everything was serene. No scam, no Eddy. Just relaxing with a former enemy. In some odd way, Edd thought of this as a beautiful reunion. Edd thought about what Marie said, though. He was slightly curious as to why Marie didn't "feel like it anymore." The simple answer was probably just that she matured, but something about the way she put it seemed somewhat off.

"So...you don't feel like it?" Edd asked, breaking the silence.

"Well, my home life has been enough these days" Marie replied, staring into the distance.

"Why, how's life been treating you lately?" Edd started to get a little concerned at this point.

"I don't really like to talk about. It's just life with my sisters, I guess."

Marie dug into her pocket and pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. She offered Double D a light, but he shook his head. He was disgusted by the thought of being near cigarettes. Considering Marie was smoking, Edd decided to excuse himself.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Marie, but I must be going" Edd said as he got up.

"See ya" Marie waved, lighter in hand, as Edd made his way back to the junkyard.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Here's the third chapter. Forgive me, it's short. Thank you to the guy who followed/favorited the story, and thank you to the 150+ people who have read it so far. I hope you enjoy!_

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Edd sauntered back to the junkyard. Upon arrival, he was greeted by the completed set for the fireworks show. A shoddy ticket booth made of plywood hastily nailed together stood in front of the main area. The main area consisted of a circle of discarded folding and lawn chairs, with a small bonfire in the middle. The box of sketchy fireworks was placed next to the bonfire, with a long, homemade fuse sticking out.

"I have to say, Eddy, I'm impressed" Edd said, admiring the set up. Considering how low his expectations were, the set up wasn't half bad.

"Praise don't mean nothing unless this gets me rich!" Eddy exclaimed in response. Edd frowned, but shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, by the way guys, you'll never guess who I met...Marie Kanker" Edd said in an attempt to change the subject. Ed and Eddy paused. Within seconds, Ed was running around in circles, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Burn the witch!" Ed screamed.

"Now, calm down. She's changed" Edd reassured.

"Are you out of your mind, sockhead? After all those years of torment, you still want to associate with that bitch?" Eddy ranted. "Also, you better shut up monobrow!"

"Oh, grow up Eddy. That was years ago!" Edd defended. Eddy crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Let's focus on something more important: the scam!" Eddy suggested.

"Okay" Ed agreed, grinning.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Contradicting the shorter Chapter 3, here is the much longer Chapter 4. Another person has followed/favorited this story, and the story has reached over 200 views. For that, I thank you, and I hope you like the new chapter.

* * *

As nightfall came upon the cul-de-sac, the Eds took a moment to survey the stage they had set for their scam. In preparation, Ed had gone door to door, inviting the neighborhood kids to the show, all while Eddy set up the show and Edd wandered off. The turnout surprised Edd, seeing as everybody except Jimmy and Sarah had shown up. Edd smirked at the thought of how gullible the neighborhood kids were to this day. By 10 o'clock in the evening, everyone had settled.

Suddenly, as Eddy prepared to greet everyone, the Kankers arrived at the last moment. Eddy frowned as he looked over towards Ed.

"What are _they_ doing here, Lumpy?" Eddy grumbled.

"Come on Eddy, you said to invite everyone" Ed replied defensively.

"Fine, as long as you didn't fuck up the scam, I guess I can handle them for a few minutes" Eddy responded in defeat.

"Thank you Eddy!" Ed shouted, bear hugging his friend.

"Alright, now get off me" Eddy snapped, pushing Ed away. This didn't seem to faze Ed though, seeing as he was still grinning.

Following the exchange, Eddy walked towards the center of the circle, and began his introduction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I bring to you...Ed, Edd, and Eddy's Firework Spectacular!" Eddy exclaimed as Edd lit the bonfire.

"This shit better be worth five dollars, dorks!" Kevin shouted from the audience. Everyone began laughing.

"Alright, shut up!" Eddy shouted. The laughter died down.

Everyone went silent as Edd approached the fuse. He then realized that he had used a single match to light the bonfire. That being said, he didn't have anything to light the fuse. He then realized that he had another method of igniting the fuse. He walked over to Marie, who was sitting with her sisters.

"Hello Marie. If you could be kind enough to do me a favor, uh, may I borrow your lighter?" Edd asked. He was admitedly somewhat nervous, considering what she used it for prior to then.

"Sure Double D, just give it back" Marie smiled as she handed him the lighter.

"Um, thank you Marie" Edd said as he walked away.

Edd made his way back to the fuse. Annoyed at the slow pace of the event, Eddy decided to get the audience excited.

"Before sockhead lights it up, how's about a countdown? Can we get a countdown?" Eddy suggested. The kids complied with an unenthusiastic countdown.

"5! 4! 3! 2!" everyone shouted in unison.

"1!"

In accordance with the countdown, Edd opened the lighter. Slowly and carefully, he flicked it, and finally, the fuse had been lit. Edd backed up to where Ed and Eddy were sitting, and joined the spectators in anticipating the impending colorful explosions. The setting was tranquil and serene. Everyone was silent, and the only noise came from the crackling of the bonfire and the sound of the lit fuse.

Everyone watched as the flame ran down the homemade fuse, along the ground. Eyes widened as the flame ran up and into the box containing the fireworks. Some plugged their ears, waiting for a loud explosion. Suddenly, everything went completely silent.

"Crap, the fuse went out" Eddy whispered to Edd. Edd looked at him, puzzled.

"Well? Go fix it, sockhead! I'm not handing out refunds!" Eddy demanded.

"Fair enough, but you and Ed are coming with me. Just in case" Edd responded.

"Whatever."

The trio approached the box with caution. Edd lead the group, seeing as he was supposed to be the only person to check. He took his time when handling the box. He looked inside. He nudged several of the fireworks around, in search of the fuse. He discovered the issue.

"I think it's out. Well, that's the end of that" Edd concluded.

Immediately following that statement, there was a flash of light. Then, everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry for the long hiatus. I totally forgot about this story for a few months. I had started this chapter in February and only discovered it in July. Apologies for the long wait, but I'm going to continue work on this story. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

Edd slowly lifted his eyelids. He was hit by a blinding light from overhead. After rubbing his eyes, he sat up in the cot he was in and scanned the room. He could tell he was in a hospital. Everything was serene and almost silent, the only noise he could hear was talking in the background, and the sound emitting from the air conditioner. As he took in his surroundings, the door to his room opened. A nurse walked into the room and stood at the foot of his cot.

"Eddward, are you awake?" she asked. Edd, still fatigued and suffering from the lingering dreary feeling, managed to mumble a yes.

"Good. You have been unconscious for hours, in fact, today is the fifth," the nurse said as she looked at a clipboard. "It seems that you have sustained injuries from a fireworks accident, correct?" Edd nodded his head.

"Okay. According to my evaluations, it seems that you have suffered from second and third degree burns on nine percent of your body, as well as a mild concussion." Edd winced as the nurse explained his injuries. After describing to him how he should take care of these injuries, and writing him prescriptions for pain medications, the nurse was getting ready to leave. "Oh, before I go, I should mention, you have a visitor."

Edd was confused. Who would visit him? It couldn't be his parents, as she only mentioned one person. Perhaps it was Ed or Eddy. Shortly after the nurse left, the door swung open again. To his surprise, it was Marie who had showed up. Puzzled, he watched as Marie sat down in a chair in the corner of his room.

"Marie?"

"Hey" she smiled as she pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She lit one with the same lighter from the day before. "Want one?"

"Actually, right now, I think I need one" Edd said, smiling a little. At that point, he needed something to dull his pain. "I have a few questions, Marie. First of all, I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?"

"I knew that you'd have some questions. Well, I'm here because I'm the one that brought you here" she answered.

"Did my parents come to visit me?" Edd asked, with a hint of hope in his voice.

"No, apparently they were 'too busy.'"

"That's not really shocking," Edd said with a sigh. "Oh well. Are my friends here? Are they okay"

"Ed is fine. He only suffered a few second degree burns. Eddy got the worst of it though. The hospital said that he'll be staying for a couple of days." Marie put her cigarette out on the armrest of the chair. "My sisters and I drove you guys. It was fucking chaos after that explosion. I'm just glad that you're okay."

Edd smiled. He was glad that most of everyone was okay. He thought that Marie's concern was a sweet gesture, and he especially appreciated the last thing she said. The nurse walked into the room and let the two leave the hospital. They got into Marie's car and drove to the cul-de-sac. The whole way, the two enjoy each other's company, talking and laughing. Edd was almost disappointed when he had to get off at his house. Marie stopped and Edd opened the door. Before he left, he wanted to thank Marie.

"Listen Marie, I truly appreciate what you've done for me. I'm really touched by your kindness and concern."

"Anytime, Double D" she replied with a grin.

"Thank you very much for helping my friends and I out. I hope we can meet again soon. I'm just very grateful for you-"

Edd stopped rambling as the two stared at each other. The smiled and looked into each others eyes. Both of them knew what the other was thinking. After a moment, Edd reached over the passenger seat. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed. They let go, Edd said thank you one last time, and Marie drove away. He knew that he had experience the greatest moment of his life. He walked back to his home. He watched as her car sped out of the cul-de-sac.

"I love you, Marie"


End file.
